On Tuesday the Bill was debated and passed. A few
of the Indian members of the Council thought it too drastiq but the majority welcomed it heartily. Mr. Sinha, the Law Member of the Executive Council, delivered a forcible speech in its favour. At the end of the discussion Lord Minto con- gratulated the enlarged Imperial Council on the thoughtful tone of the speeches. He then made the important announce- ment that it had been decided to release the State prisoners who were deported fourteen months ago. "Our justification
for this," he said, "is the belief that the political position has entirely changed, and that the political movement of which they were the leaders, seditious as it was, has degenerated into an anarchical plot which can no longer be legitimately included as part of the political agitation in which they were so culpably implicated. We believe that we are face to face with an anarchical conspiracy waging war against the British and Indian communities alike, and that it will be a long time before we can exterminate the evil unless those communities agree to work together hand-in-hand. We believe that their mutual efforts will be greatly encouraged by the release of the deportees." This decision is, of course, a very grave responsi- bility. It has been taken no doubt after careful thought, and it would be unprofitable for us, who necessarily know much less than the Executive has the means of knowing, to criticise it. We can only hope that events will prove that the Executive is not in any way miscalculating the effects of its policy or striving to win popularity by concessions. That is a fatal blunder where Eastern peoples are concerned. We also sincerely trust that the Home authorities have not overborne the advice of the men on the spot.
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